Tijuana-to-Tecate rail tour has been picking up steam

Train excursions stir memories and give businesses a boost

Although the Tecate merchants association doesn’t have hard data on the impact of the train on the local economy, it says the tours have proved beneficial for the city, especially for restaurants.

“I’ve lived in Tecate 12 years, and these trips are really helping those of us who work in tourism,” said José María Ortiz, 29, a musician from Michoacan whose norteño band plays in restaurants in the town center.

The next trips scheduled for the tourist train are Oct. 16, 23 and 30.

The train leaves Tijuana at 9 a.m. and reaches Tecate at 11:15. Depending on the type of tour, travelers get between two and four hours to visit Tecate. The train arrives back in Tijuana at 5 p.m. There is free parking at the Tijuana train station.

Tickets cost between 150 and 300 pesos ($12 to $24). For more information (in Spanish), go to